Author's Note: WOW! I'm very touched by how much you guys like it. Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm so sorry for taking so long, but the muse union was on strike….wanting better health and dental benefits, no doubt. Long time, no update. Sorry about that!
August 8, 2004
Disclaimer: I do not own Summerland, nor do I own any related characters or places.
Your Beautiful Soul
Chapter 11
Bradin woke reluctantly, fighting to stay asleep despite the raucous squawking of seagulls. Alas, it wasn't the gulls that had pulled him from precious slumber, and he looked up to see Derrick bending over him. He lay there in confusion for a few seconds before the realization came to him that he was on the sand, under the tree near the patio, with Maggie snuggled close.
"Breakfast is gonna be ready soon," Derrick smiled, then skipped away toward the house and disappeared through the door.
"Come on," he said softly, kissing Maggie's neck. "Wake up."
"Five more minutes?" The reply came with a yawn and she wriggled closer to him.
"No, up."
"It's too early."
"It's like ten," Bradin laughed, looking up at the sun as he pushed himself to his feet.
"Yeah, that's easy for you to say." She stuck her tongue out at him as she stood.
"Breakfast."
"Breakfast is the only thing good about the morning. 'Cept maybe waking up next to you." Maggie bit her lip coyly and stepped up to kiss him.
"Whoa, get a room you two!" Johnny said from the back door.
The kiss was broken and Maggie looked down at the ground, cheeks growing red with embarrassment. Bradin glared at Johnny.
"Chow's on, kids." He disappeared.
"You think they'll be mad at us?" Maggie asked as they headed for the house, grabbing her glasses off the table where she'd left them.
Bradin shrugged, threw an arm around Maggie's waist, and they entered the living room.
The table was tensely silent, the clink of utensils and plates being the only sound in the room. Jay and Erika were missing, but Ava had said they went out for breakfast. At one point during the meal, Derrick started giggling uncontrollably. Bradin could tell the three adults at the table also had a hard time not smiling, but they were doing a better job than Nikki and Cameron, who were losing the battle. He felt Maggie shift uncomfortably beside him and glanced over, but her gaze never left the pancakes on her plate. Reaching over, he laid a hand lightly on her thigh to comfort her and he could see her expression lighten slightly.
"So, what are you planning to do today?" Ava asked, after shushing Derrick and giving him a warning look.
"Cam and I are going to check out the classic car show down on the pier, then maybe go to a movie after lunch." Nikki spoke up first.
"Oh," Ava smiled, "That sounds fun."
"What about you, buddy?" Johnny asked. Derrick shrugged, unable to speak, lest he start laughing instead. The subject was dropped and the table was silent again.
"Uh, Nikki, you ready to go?" Cameron broke the uneasiness of the table and stood.
"Yeah, sure," Nikki rose from her chair and picked up her plate. "Uh, Aunt Ava, we're going to get lunch at Cam's."
"Okay. Just leave your plates, I'll get them."
"Thanks, Aunt Ava. See you later." Nikki and Cameron hurried out the front door.
"Hey, Derrick, how 'bout some catch?" Johnny offered. The young boy nodded and ran to the sliding glass door with the older man in tow.
Seeming to pick up on a silent message from Ava, Susannah stood, gathered the dirty plates from the empty spaces and took them to the kitchen sink. Bradin sensed something was coming, and he surveyed Maggie from the corner of his eye. Her hands were in her lap, and she stared down at them.
"What exactly were you two doing last night?" Ava's tone was calm and quiet—too calm and quiet.
"Sleeping," Bradin answered.
"Don't be a wise guy." She gave him a you-know-what-I-mean look.
"Don't worry, Aunt Ava," Bradin stood and laid a hand on his aunt's shoulder. "Nothing happened."
Without another word, Bradin pulled Maggie out of the house. Once out on the patio, Bradin backed her into the tree and kissed her. "So, what do you want to do?"
"Nothing," she smiled, sliding her arms around his neck and kissing him back.
"Surfing and lunch?" Bradin asked.
Maggie straightened the collar of his shirt before she responded. "Okay, that sounds fun. I'm not good, but maybe you could show me how to whack the lip, toss the tail, and pull up some floaties."
Bradin laughed at her joke and kissed her lightly. "Two Brothers in twenty?"
"Absolutely," Maggie nodded, then took off across the sand. "See ya in a few!"
He watched her jog away down the beach until she had disappeared beyond a crowd of people before turning toward the house. Five minutes later, he trotted down the stairs, the top half of his black wet suit hanging around his waist as he pulled an orange sleeveless shirt over his head.
"Going surfing at Two Brothers," he called to his aunt before grabbing his surfboard and walking out to the beach.